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MEMBER DIARY

The “Bloomberg Chronicles”

It is simply a fact that gun owners face a formidable array of committed opponents among those on the Left. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is merely the latest in a long line of gun control “jihadists.” Teachers routinely dispense anti-2nd Amendment propaganda in schools.

Numerous mainstream news media talking heads dutifully regurgitate bogus anti-gun “studies” without any real vetting. Hollywood has used movies and television as vehicles for propagating all sorts of false narratives about guns and gun owners.

As for Mr. Bloomberg, his “weapon of choice” is money. With his net worth pegged at over $20 Billion, he can afford to donate millions to gun control groups across the nation. And donate he does. He has pledged more than $50 Million this year alone to push for expanded gun control nationwide.

Bloomberg co-founded “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” in 2006. Naturally, MAIG’s focus has been almost exclusively on policies that restrict legal gun owners far more than they affect criminals like drug dealers and gang members.

Bloomberg has also used super-PAC money to donate directly to anti-2nd Amendment candidates. Most recently, he gave $250,000 to try to defeat solid pro-gun-rights candidate Chris McDaniel, who is in a run-off primary election next Tuesday (July 1) in Mississippi.

Another Bloomberg’s surrogate is “Moms Demand Action,” founded after the Sandy Hook shooting. MDA’s members instigated the current Target store controversy. On June 5, a real, loaded gun was found in the toy aisle. Now, in spite of suspicious facts surrounding the incident, MDA immediately tried to bully Target into banning all customers from legally carrying firearms in their stores.

The reaction by gun owners, especially the carry community, has been varied. The most controversial response has been by Open Carry Texas, some of whose members apparently decided to openly carry rifles, such as AR-15s, into Target stores in Texas. The resulting debate among gun rights activists has been, to say the least, lively. And it continues.

But OTC’s actions are not the issue. What we do against the likes of Bloomberg and his minions is. A column like this one is too limited in space for a doctoral thesis on 2nd Amendment strategy, but a few basic principles should be kept in mind.

First, stay informed. You should belong to at least two pro-2nd Amendment organizations. Nationally, NRA, GOA, etc. – take your pick. Then join a local gun-rights group – your state likely has at least one. If you’re reading this, you apparently already subscribe to the USCCA. So, get your friends to join, too.

Second, make your voice heard, but effectively. When issues arise, one tactic is to organize calls AND e-mails to the people involved, whether politicians, journalists, or private businesses. Done properly (i.e. clearly yet courteously) such coordinated drives can be productive. But before engaging in any action (especially public demonstrations) always ask: “What will this accomplish?”

Third, one of the best (yet seldom used) ways to get our message out is to cultivate relationships with those rare reporters who have reputations for genuine neutrality. They can provide you with a “bully pulpit” to counter the endless propaganda put forth by the “Bloomberg Brigade” and others. If we can do this in liberal Minnesota, you can, too.

Finally, always presenting a united front is vital. Whatever disagreements we have amongst ourselves, let’s keep them private. In public, we must stick together. Remember that any statement that begins with the words, “I’m a gun owner, but….” is music to our enemies’ ears.